Battery servicing



Dec. 17, 1946. .1.J. WILLIAMS 2,412,932

BATTERY sERvIcING Filed April 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wma/m E; mun-m m[lilium INVENTOR BY V( ATTORNEYS @l J. Mza/ams,

Dec. 17, 1946. J. J. WILLIAMS 2,412,932

BATTERY SERVICING Filed April 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' mvENToR1Jak/Lf. WzZZccUmr BY 7 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 17, 1946 UNITED STATESPATENT QFFICEA BATTERY SERVICING John J. Williams, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application April 18, 1944, Serial No. 531,676

3 Claims.

This invention relates to tools for use with storage batteries and thelike, and more particularly to tools and methods for removing andcleaning battery terminals.

An object of the invention is to provide a means and method for removingand cleaning the terminal clamps of a storage battery whereby this maybe done quickly, conveniently and thoroughly, without damage to thebattery, and with but a minimum of skill and time being required on thepart of the operator.

This is accomplished by the provision of an improved tool adapted toclasp a storage battery terminal clamp and be operated by a simplegentle movement to force the clamp from the battery post and obviatingthe hammering or tapping usually necessary for this operation.Preferably the tool is adapted to grip and support the battery clampafter its removal so that the operator may conveniently hold the latterrmly to clean the post-receiving aperture thereof.

In the form of the invention illustrated herein, as exemplary thereof,the tool comprises a pair of levers or handles, and jaws associatedtherewith adapted to clasp the underside of the battery terminal clamp,while a plunger which is operated by a cam-lever functions to force thebattery post outwardly of the terminal clamp to loosen and remove thelatter from the battery. The jaws of the tool are made to grip theterminal clamp so as to securely hold it after its removal, and thecam-operated plunger is hinged so it may be swung out of the way andpermit a wire brush or other suitable cleaning implement to be passedthrough the post-receiving aperture of the terminal clamp to thoroughlyclean the latter. The terminal clamp may then be quickly released fromthe tool by the operator merely releasing his grasp on the levers orhandles so that the clamp may be reinstalled when ready.

The device and method as thus provided by the invention makes thecomparatively difficult task of removing the terminal clamp easy andsafe to do. In the servicing of automobiles, the battery is oftenneglected because of the diliiculty of properly cleaning the terminalsthereof. Through the use of the present improved tool and method, it isa comparatively simple matter to remove, clean and replace the batteryterminals, and this operation can be done very quickly. This provides anincentive to the serviceman so that he can profitably service thebattery of an automobile.

Other features and advantages will hereinafte appear.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of the tool ofthis invention, showing lthe cam-operated plunger means swung asidepreparatory to clasping the tool over a battery terminal clamp.

Fig. 2-is a section takenon the line 2--2 of Figs. l and 3.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the tool about to be closedover a battery terminal clamp, the clasping jaws being shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the tool showing the jaws embracingthebattery terminal clamp, and the cam-operated plunger in position toseparate the battery post and the terminal clamp.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but with the cam-lever and plungerin operated position and the terminal clamp loosened from the batterypost.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a fragment of a battery showing aterminal clamp as carried on the terminal post, with the clamping boltremoved, preparatory to loosening and removal by the tool of thisinvention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the terminal clamp carried in thetool which is held in one hand of the operator while the other handholds a wire brush in position to be inserted in and clean thepost-receiving hole of the terminal clamp,

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the tool of the present invention comprisesa pair of plier-like levers I I) and II pivotally connected intermediatetheir ends by a pin I2 and having elongate handle portions I3 and I4respectively. The opposite end portions I5 and I of the levers Ill' andII respectively extend alongside each other, being comparatively flatand lying substantially in the same plane as shown. The portions I5 andI6 are bent at A so that they may be horizontal while the handles extendupwardly at an angle and thus avoid interference with adjacent objects.

According to the present invention, the portions l5 and i6 of the leversare provided respectively with flat jaws I'I and I8 which extendlaterally of the direction of movement of said portions, the ends of thejaws having inwardly extending anges or claws I9 and 20 respectively.Opposite the claws I S and 20, the jaws I'I and I 8 have a second set offlanges 2I and 22 which are secured to or form a continuation of theportions I and IS of the lever.

As shown in Fig. 3, the jaws I'I and I8 are positioned and shaped toclasp between thema battery terminal clamp 23 with the flanges I9 and ofthe jaws being positioned to engage the underside of the clamp when thelevers I5 and I6 are brought together by hand pressure thereon.

The tool of this invention also includes means for engaging the end ofthe battery post 24 on which the terminal clamp 23 is carried, and forconveniently applying pressure to the end relatively to the clamp toloosen the latter from its grip on the post, so that it may be easilylifted from the battery, all without having to resort to hammering orother similar expedients which are injurious to the battery case andplates. This means is movably mounted so that it may be placed acrossthe jaws I1 and I8 to accomplish this purpose, and after removal of theclamp 23 from the battery post may be moved to one side to permitinsertion of a wire brush or other suitable device in the post-receivingaperture of the clamp to clean same.

Accordingly, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the jaw I1 has attached thereto,as by welding or other suitable means, a plate 25 on which is hinged aplate 26 of a length suflicient to extend across the open end of thejaws over an abutment plate 21 mounted on the jaw I8 to bridge the spacebetween the jaws when they are in terminalengaging position, Theabutmentplate 21 carries a pivotally mounted screw 28 adapted to be received ina slot 29 in the bridging plate 26. The screw 23 is provided with awinged nut 3U by means of which the bridging plate 26 is securelyclamped to the abutment plate 21 when the jaws |1 and |8 are embracingthe battery terminal clamp 23 as shown in Fig. 4.

The bridging plate 26 has a central threaded aperture which receives anexternally threaded sleeve 3| adapted to extend between the jaws |1` andI8 and past the flanges 2| and 22 thereof, which latter are cut away at32 and 33 respectively for clearance. By rotating the sleeve 3| the end34 thereof may be moved into close proximity to the end of the batterypost 24. The other end 35 of the sleeve 3| is bifurcated and aperturedfor a pin 36 upon which a hand lever 31 pivots, the pivoting end 38 ofthe lever extending between the forks of the end 35 of the sleeve.

For applying force to the battery post 24, a plunger 38 having a head 4)is slidably carried in the sleeve 3|, the head being flattened at0pposite sides so that it may be received between the forks of thebifurcated end 35 of the sleeve. In order to operate the plunger 39 toengage the `battery post 34 and apply force to same, the

pivoting end of the hand lever is provided with a cam surface 33'. Whenthe lever is in the position shown in Fig. 4 and the tool is placed onthe terminal clamp and post, the plunger 39 will be pushed up toretracted position in the sleeve 3|. When the hand lever is moved to theposition shown in Fig. 5, the camming surface 38 thereof forces theplunger 39 downward to a position where the end 4I thereof projectsbeyond the end 34 of the sleeve 3| In operating the tool of thisinvention for removing the terminal clamp 23 from the battery post 24,the tool is rst placed in the position shown in Fig. 3, after which thehandle portions I3 and I4 are moved towards each other and held. Thiscauses the jaws II and I8 to engage and 'hold the terminal clamp 23. Thehand lever 31 is now grasped, and the bridging plate 25 swung intoposition across the jaws I1 and I8 as shown in Fig. fl,A whereupon thescrew 23 and winged nut 30 are operated to tightly clamp the plateagainst the abutment plate 21. This holds the jaws I1 and I8 iirmlyagainst moving outwardly away from the terminal clamp 23. The lever 31is now held to extend laterally of the sleeve 3 I, and rotated about theaxis of said sleeve in a clockwise direction to advance the latter intothe bridging plate 26 so that the end 34 of the sleeve and the plunger39 carried thereby approach closely the end of the battery post 24. Thenthe lever 31 is swung up about the pivot pin 36 as indicated by thearrow in Fig. 4, causing the cam 38 thereon to depress the plunger 39 asshown in Fig. 5, thereby partially pulling the terminal clamp 23 fromthe Lbattery post 24. The terminal is thus sufliciently loosened so thatit may be readily lifted from the battery and held by the tool.

It will be noted that the force applied by the operator to loosen theterminal clamp from the post is in an upward direction, that is to say,away from the battery and not downwardly on the post. There is,therefore, no danger of the post being pushed through the sealingcompound or battery top through which the post extends.

After the tool is used for pulling and removing the battery terminalclamp, it still grips the latter and thus may be used to enable theoperator to rmly hold the clamp for cleaning the post-receiving aperturethereof. Thus the cperations of removing the terminal clamp and cleaningsame are combined and greatly facilitated yby the use of the tool ofthis invention so that time and labor are saved.

In preparation for this cleaning, after removal oi the clamp from thepost as just described, the lever 31 is grasped and operated to unscrewthe sleeve 3| an extent from the bridging plate, and the winged nut 30is loosened to permit the bridging plate 26 and sleeve and plungercarried thereby to be swung to an out-of-the-way position as shown inFig. 7. A wire brush 42 may now be passed back and forth through theaperture 23a of the terminal clamp to thoroughly clean same, whereuponwhen the operator relinquishes his grasp of the hand portions I3 and I4of the levers, the clamp is released from the tool in readiness forbeing reinstalled.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of thisinvention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

l. A tool for removing a surrounding member from a post comprising apair of levers pivotally connected together; jaws on the levers soconstructed to engage the sides of the surrounding member with the jawsswinging in a plane at right angles to the post; a bridging member lyingin a plane parallel to said first plane, connected to one jaw, extendingacross the opening of the jaws and across the top of the post andconnected to the other jaw; a post-engaging member movably mounted onsaid bridging member for movement axially of the post and the opening ofsaid jaws; and means for moving said post-engaging member relative tosaid levers to force the post from the surrounding member.

2. A tool for removing a surrounding member from a post comprising apair of levers pivotally connected together; jaws on the levers soconstructed to engage the sides of the surrounding member with the jawsswinging in a plane at right angles to the post; a bridging member lyingin a plane parallel to said rst plane, said member being pivotallyconnected to one jaw, extending across the opening of the jaws andacross the top of the post and detachably connected to the other jaw,- apost-engaging member movably mounted on said bridging member formovement axially of the post and the opening of said jaws; and means formoving said post-engaging member relative to said levers to force thepost from the surrounding member, the bridging member being movableabout the pivotal connection from said bridging position whereby thepost receiving aperture is unobstructed and may be cleaned after thepost is removed and while the surrounding member is held in said jaws. i

3. A tool for removing a surrounding member from a post comprising apair of levers pivotally connected together, jaws on the levers soconstructed to engage the sides of the surrounding member with the jawsswinging in a plane at right angles to the post, the jaws havingportions along one side and extending under the surrounding member; abridging member lying in a plane parallel to said rst plane, connectedto one jaw, extending across the opening of the jaws and across the topof the post and connected to the other jaw to hold said jaws againstlateral separation; a post-engaging member movably mounted on saidbridging member for movement axially of the post and the opening of saidjaws; and means for applying pressure to the postengaging member toforce the member toward the post and by the same operation forcing thejaws and portions extending under the surrounding member in the oppositedirection to cause the post to move out of the surrounding member.

JOI-1N J. WILLIAMS.

